X-Dreamers
Bible chapter guide
Genesis 15
God promises Abram a son of his own and descendants as many as the stars; Abram believes, and it is counted to him as righteousness. In a covenant sealed with divided animals and a smoking fire pot, God promises the land and foretells four hundred years of affliction.
Summary written for the Labs; read the chapter itself for the full text.
See it in the Labs
- The Biblical Family TreeAbraham · The Biblical Family TreeOpen
- The Bible Time MapAbraham · The Bible Time MapOpen
- Life Phases of Old Testament HeroesAbraham · Life Phases of Old Testament HeroesOpen
- Hebrew Word Explorerbərît (covenant) · Hebrew Word ExplorerOpen
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How sure can we be?
- Textually stated
In Hebrew, a covenant is 'cut' (kārat bĕrît).
Genesis 15:18 uses kārat with bĕrît, after Abram cuts the animals in half and a flaming torch passes between the pieces (15:10, 17).
- Plausible
Abraham was about 80: Believes God's promise and is counted righteous.
Between his arrival in Canaan (75) and taking Hagar (85).
- Plausible
Abraham, ages 75–100: Twenty-five years for a son
A seventh of his life lay between the promise and Isaac. The waiting was not calm: he lied about Sarah in Egypt, took Hagar at 85 and laughed at 99. Yet in the middle of it he "believed in the LORD". Waiting in Scripture is not a pause before faith begins; it…